HAVE THEY LOST THE PLOT?
As preening Tory saboteurs undermine the PM, their party, Brexit — and Britain’s future — the Mail asks simply...
BREXITEERS plotting to topple Theresa May faced a ferocious Tory backlash last night.
On a dramatic day at Westminster, hardline Eurosceptics went public with their bid to oust the Prime Minister, following the resignation of Dominic Raab, Esther McVey and two junior ministers over Brexit. Jacob Rees-Mogg confronted Mrs May in the Commons before holding an extraordinary Press conference outside Parliament, saying he had submitted a letter of no confidence in her. Another 15 MPs also announced they had submitted letters in a bid to reach the threshold of 48 needed to trigger a confidence vote.
But angry moderate Tories rallied round the Prime Minister and warned the Eurosceptics that they could bring down the Government, damage the economy and jeopardise Brexit if they pressed ahead with a coup.
Last night, Mrs May pledged to stand and fight if her critics forced a vote of no confidence in her leadership, telling reporters: ‘Am I going to see this through? Yes.’
However, there were fears she could face further resignations today, with Michael Gove, Chris Grayling and Penny Mordaunt all considering whether to quit. It came as:
Mrs May defied critics who warn that her deal will be blocked by MPs, saying she would emulate her
HARD-LINE Brexiteers – led by Jacob Rees-Mogg – broke cover yesterday and launched a concerted effort to dislodge Theresa May and replace her as Tory leader.
Mr Rees-Mogg declared Mrs May’s deal was ‘not Brexit’ and said he had written a ‘no confidence’ letter calling for her to go.
But by last night, just 16 rebel MPs had publicly admitted to following his lead – several of whom sent letters weeks or months ago to the chairman of the 1922 Committee – amid signs the rebellion could fall flat.
Tory MPs discussing whether to put letters in on a private European Research Group WhatsApp group were deeply divided.
And several leading pro-Brexit backbenchers went public to oppose the drastic move. Moderate loyalists accused Mr Rees-Mogg of being ‘self indulgent’ and warned he risked ‘wrecking’ the Government and splitting the party.
Yesterday morning, Mr Rees-Mogg confronted Mrs May in the Commons, accusing her of breaking promises on protecting the Union, and leaving the European Court of Justice and the Customs Union, and asking her why he shouldn’t put a no confidence letter in.
He said: ‘As what my Right Honourable friend says, and what my Right Honourable friend does, no longer match, should I not write to my Honourable friend, the Member for Altrincham and Sale West [1922 chairman Sir Graham Brady]?’
Hours later, the chairman of the ERG published his letter online. Writing to Sir Graham, he admitted a confidence vote in the Prime Minister would create ‘ill will’. But he said the Withdrawal Agreement failed to meet Mrs May’s promises and the Conservative manifesto.
He accused her of breaching ‘long-held principles’ of the party by allowing different rules for Northern Ireland, and he claimed it would be ‘harder’ to leave the Northern Ireland backstop – which would keep the UK inside a customs union – than it would be to leave the EU itself. During a press conference outside the St Stephen’s Entrance to the Palace of Westminster, Mr Rees-Mogg denied he was orchestrating a ‘coup’ and, pointing to his plain suit, rejected claims he was a ‘pinstriped assassin’.
He also denied he had any personal leadership ambitions, but named Boris Johnson, Dominic Raab, David Davis and Penny Mordaunt as potential contenders, and insisted the next leader must be a Brexiteer. He said there were ‘many people’ in the party, both at Westminster and around the country, who ‘think the PM’s service is at an end and she should now step down’. Dismissing fears of chaos and economic collapse in the event of ‘no deal’ as ‘Project Fear’, he said the UK would thrive trading on World Trade Organisation rules.
He added: ‘The law to leave has already been passed. The Witherately drawal Act is through but what we need is a leader who will say to the EU it is impossible to divide up the United Kingdom.
‘It is impossible to agree to a perpetual customs union. It is impossible to pay £39 billion of taxpayers’ money for a few promises. It is impossible for us to allow the continuing jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice. The problem is the negotiation has given away on all the key points.’
He added: ‘I think a coup is when you use illegitimate procedures to overturn someone in office. This is entirely constitutional.’
Singling out Mr Raab, who quit hours earlier as Brexit Secretary, he called him a ‘very impressive individual who has shown his courage through his resignation’.
Mr Rees Mogg said the number of letters going in was ‘growing’ and ‘unexpected’ MPs were putting them in. Others who said they had put in letters included James Duddridge, Philip Davies, Andrea Jenkyns, Nadine Dorries, Andrew Bridgen and Simon Clarke. If Sir Graham receives 48 letters, he will order a vote among Tory MPs to decide Mrs May’s fate.
Ex-minister Stephen Hammond accused his colleagues of self-indulgence. Foreign Office minister Sir Alan Duncan said the rebels risked ‘destroying the Government’.
‘She should now step down’